(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an energy regeneration device of a suspension system for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an energy regeneration device of a suspension system for a vehicle which is mounted at a vehicle body connection portion of a suspension link and regenerates rotational kinetic energy generated from wheels into electric energy.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In general, the suspension system of a vehicle is a device that is disposed between the vehicle body and the wheels and connecting the two rigid bodies, using one or a plurality of links. The suspension system mechanically controls the relative motion between the vehicle body and the wheels by carrying vertical motion load with a chassis spring and a shock absorber and controlling high rigidity and flexibility in the other directions.
The suspension system provides improved riding comfort to passengers by effectively blocking irregular input from roads which is generated during vehicle travel and provides convenience for driving by controlling shaking of a vehicle which is generated by uneven roads. Further, when a vehicle travels on an uneven road, vehicle safety must be maintained when turning and braking by maintaining the vertical load on the surfaces of tires which are in contact with the ground at an appropriate level.
Various kinds of suspension systems have been developed and are used for vehicles to satisfy those conditions, and according to an example of the configuration of a common suspension system, as shown in FIG. 1, a wheel carrier 4 supports a wheel 2 to cause the wheel 2 to rotate is provided. The upper portion of the wheel carrier 4 is connected to a vehicle body 10 (e.g., vehicle subframe) by a front upper arm 6 and a rear upper arm 8 disposed in the transverse direction of the vehicle and the lower portion is connected to the vehicle body 10 by a lower arm 12 and an assist arm 14 which are disposed in the transverse direction of the vehicle and a trailing arm 16 disposed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
Further, the upper portion of the wheel carrier 4 is connected with the vehicle body by a shock absorber 18 and a spring 20, an elastic member, is disposed between the lower arm 12 and the vehicle body, to attenuate the shock applied from a road surface and reduce free vibration to improve riding comfort. Additionally, the end of a stabilizer bar 22 that is fixed to the vehicle body is connected with the lower arm 12 by a connection link 24, to prevent the vehicle body from rolling.
According to the configuration, the suspension system of the related art can attenuate the shock from a road surface, reduce free vibration, and prevent the vehicle body from rolling; however, the kinetic energy, which is generated by the suspension links 6, 8, 12, 14, and 16 which continuously repeat bumping and rebounding based on the traveling conditions of the vehicle, is not recovered.
The above information disclosed in this section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.